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Western North Carolina residents protest Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' in D.C.

Residents from Alexander County and surrounding areas headed to Washington, D.C., on Monday, June 30, to protest  Big Beautiful Bill’ currently making its way through the Senate.
Joel Simpson
Residents from Alexander County and surrounding areas headed to Washington, D.C., on Monday, June 30, to protest the "big, beautiful bill" currently making its way through the Senate.

A group of residents from Alexander County and surrounding areas in Western North Carolina traveled by bus to Washington, D.C., on Monday to protest President Trump's "big, beautful bill" currently making its way through the Senate.

A majority of the 35 residents — teachers, students, and a carpenter — who made the trip to D.C. from places such as Statesville and Wilkesboro, left from Taylorsville.

They carried and placed coffins outside the U.S. Capitol with signage highlight the number of people opponents of the bill say are at risk of losing Medicaid and SNAP benefits if the bill becomes law.

“We will be the people who bury people who died because of this budget," said Joel Simpson, one of the organizers behind the trip and a pastor at First United Methodist Church in Taylorsville. "And so these are people I love, and I'll have to care for when they're not getting the care they need. It puts me in a heart-wrenching position — and everyone in our community.”

In a letter to Senate leaders, public health and researchers at Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania estimated that there could be over 51,000 deaths because of the loss of programs like Medicaid if the bill passes.

Thom Tillis, North Carolina’s U.S. senator, announced Sunday that he would not run for reelection. Tillis' announcement that came after Trump criticized Tillis for his no vote over Trump’s "big, beautiful bill."

Tillis said the bill would hurt North Carolina’s hospitals and rural communities.

Elvis Menayese is a Report for America corps member covering issues involving race and equity for WFAE. He previously was a member of the Queens University News Service.